Pismo Beach, CA Animal Ordinances: Beekeeping (2026)
Key Facts
- Rule
- Intentional raising or keeping of bees prohibited in the city (§ 6.04.060 B.1)
- Permit route
- None printed for bees; goats alone get a permit
- Grandfathering date
- Animals existing on April 25, 1984 under § 6.04.060 D
- First offense
- Infraction under § 6.06.040 A
- Repeat offense
- Misdemeanor if within six (6) months of the first violation
- Nuisance abatement
- City council can declare nonconforming keeping a public nuisance
Summary
In the City of Pismo Beach, California, Municipal Code § 6.04.060 B prohibits the intentional raising or keeping of bees in the city. Animal raising is otherwise allowed without a land use permit, but bees are the first animal on the prohibited list, and only a nonconforming-use clause lets existing keeping of disallowed animals continue.
6.04.060 Animal raising. With the exception of goats, the raising or keeping of animals is allowed without a land use permit, subject to the standards of this section. ... ... B. The intentional raising or keeping of the following animals is prohibited in the city: 1. Bees. ... ... D. Nonconforming keeping of animals. The keeping of types or numbers of animals not allowed by Section 6.04.060 of this Code may be continued provided that: 1. The number of animals existing on the effective date of Ordinance O-335 which originally enacted this title, to wit, April 25, 1984, is not to be increased except as provided in Section 6.04.060; 2. New offspring of existing animals may be retained on-site until weaned, after which the new animals are to be removed; 3. Deceased or relocated animals are not to be replaced;
Full Breakdown
Section 6.04.060 of the Pismo Beach Municipal Code opens by allowing the raising or keeping of animals without a land use permit, with the exception of goats, subject to the standards of the section. Subsection B then carves out a list of animals whose intentional raising or keeping is prohibited in the city. Item 1 on that list is bees. The prohibition is written for the entire City of Pismo Beach, with no zone, lot-size or hive-count exception printed in the section, and there is no permit route for bees comparable to the goat permit the same section provides.
The other animals on the prohibited list are hogs, pigs and swine of any description, animals of the Mustelidae family including mink and ferrets, turkeys, and lions, tigers, poisonous snakes, alligators and other typically wild animals able or likely to inflict serious physical injury or property damage. Section 6.04.060 A.1 adds that prohibited animals described in subsection B are never household pets, so the household-pet exemption cannot be used for them.
Subsection D covers nonconforming keeping. The keeping of types or numbers of animals not allowed by Section 6.04.060 can continue only if four conditions hold: the number of animals existing on April 25, 1984, the effective date of Ordinance O-335 which originally enacted the title, is not increased; new offspring can stay on-site until weaned, after which they are removed; deceased or relocated animals are not replaced; and the city council can declare the use a public nuisance and abate it where it is found dangerous or to prevent the full use and enjoyment of neighboring properties.
Section 6.02.020 adopts Title 9 (Animals) of the San Luis Obispo County Code by reference, yet Section 6.06.020 provides that the locally reserved regulations in Chapter 6.04 control over any conflicting county provision. The Municipal Code defines an apiary in the 1983 Zoning Ordinance as a place for keeping bees, but the operative prohibition is the animal control rule in Chapter 6.04.
Violations & Fines
Under Section 6.06.040 A, a violation of any provision of Title 6 is an infraction for the first offense, and any subsequent violation within six (6) months after the first is a misdemeanor. Under subsection B, the city attorney can prosecute a misdemeanor as an infraction. Section 1.20.010 sets infraction fines of not exceeding one hundred dollars, two hundred dollars and five hundred dollars for a first, second and third or subsequent violation within twelve months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep bees in Pismo Beach?
Is there any grandfathering for existing bee colonies?
What is the penalty for keeping bees in Pismo Beach?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pismo Beach
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